Linsanity is no reason to bring out the "C" word

I was wondering when someone would use a "Chink in the Armor" reference.

I'm sure many Asian Americans thought about it too. But only the most screwed up Asian American self-hater would use it in public to describe the basketball flaws of Jeremy Lin.

It's not so bad if we were all living in Medieval America and people actually bought their chain maille and armor from Barney's and Macy's. Then, hey, sure, it might be OK. When you get a ding in your metal suit, that's a drag. We all can relate.

But the dark ages are gone. We live in a diverse America, and when you say "Chink," you are not bringing the love. Nor are you talking about the flaws of Sir Lancelot, real or imagined.

Still, if someone likened Lin's ball-handling to Lancelot trying a crossover move in full armor, you might make a case for "plausible deniability."

But let's face it.

We all know what someone means when they say "Chink" in reference to Jeremy Lin.

The media, in this case the headline writers at ESPN, have been so giddy with Linsanity, they must have thought it gave everyone the green light to have some racist fun.

Editors surely would have taken more care to blurt the "N" word. But evidently not the "C" word.

The good fun of Linsanity is intended to make people realize how inclusive the world has become.

It's not intended to desensitize us all to the racist sentiments of the past.

ESPN has apologized for the slur, but that isn't enough.

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund is calling for full apologies on ESPN cablecasts. The network needs to set the record straight for all to hear, lest anyone get the idea that slurs on Asian Americans are OK.

2. I hope they fire the person who was responsible, if not they should make it mandatory for this person to take an Asian American Studies class before going back to work, the class should be paid out of the person's paycheck.
Posted by: Tae Hyun Kim | Feb 18, 2012 7:20 PM

3. SIGN THIS PETITION for ESPN to speak out against bigoted language in the media and in our communities. http://chn.ge/zKp48a
Posted by: Angela Lu | Feb 19, 2012 1:52 PM

4. Why are the 'suits' at ESPN protecting the identity of the now fired racist writer of the headline? More willing to protect him/her than Jeremy Lin? If they want to be fair and honest they need to put it all on the table. AALDEF needs to demand that ESPN make public the name of the writer and have him/her apologize as well.
Posted by: Tom Yi | Feb 19, 2012 6:13 PM

5. It is amazing that when people make public statements, they don't think things through. ESPN has been guilty of racial slurs in the past. They need to clean up their act. Even in jest, racism is inexusable.
Posted by: Don Crisostomo | Feb 19, 201210:39 PM